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While reflecting on my past few years as a busy community acupuncturist, I have come across a few common phrases that I hear from my patient base. These are a some of my favorites:

"I felt like I was floating."

"I felt like I was really heavy and I couldn't move, but in a good way."

"I had waves of [sensation] running up my [body part] even where the needles were not placed."

"It's so easy to relax in here."

"I slept better after the last treatment"

"Wow, the pain is gone!"

"I can't believe I fell asleep!"

(yawn) "I feel better."

"I've never been able to afford acupuncture, but always wanted to try it. Thank you for being here."

All of these statements that I hear quite often make me very happy. It feels good to see people experiencing what I know to be true about receiving an acupuncture treatment. However, my favorite thing to hear on the lips of a patient that I am gently bringing back to reality as they astonishingly glance at the clock is "I can't believe how fast the time went."

It's as if we are kids again playing at recess and the bell rings... "ALREADY?! Dang."

Without delving into Quantum Mechanics and the possibility that time is an illusion, I can say that I have felt this same sensation after laying for 45 minutes with needles in my body. Acupuncture often has waves of sensation and is almost like a ride. A ride into the self. It's each person's own choice to steer or be driven on that ride and I find myself choosing to be driven over the former.

Although, at first there are layers of the outside world and all of its attachments that I usually have to shed, sooner or later I find a space where it is easy to relax and begin to listen to what is going on in my body and this awareness seems to take on a form of dance. The dance is more of an improvisation than any technical form, as I slowly go into a deeper understanding of who I am, who I am not and everywhere in between. Emotions and some thoughts may arise and pass: sadness, tears, joy, fear, anger, forgiveness, acceptance, motivation, letting go...

Letting go seems to always be a powerful choice because it puts me right back in the present moment. It allows me to access the only thing that I'll ever own: right now. And somehow this dance, this ride, this proprioceptive exploration always new, yet bafflingly familiar leaves me more at peace with my life situation. It fuels me with vital energy and the gift of understanding.

Time flies when you're having fun. But it also flies when you are experiencing the moment truthfully, bravely, authentically and peacefully. While this is only my experience I know that the physical stimuli from the strategic placement of needles in the body has some similar effect on most people.

As community acupuncturists it is our mission to make acupuncture accessible and affordable for everyone. I am grateful to offer a room as a safe place for people to let time slip away, to allow them to shed the heaviness of debt, regret, stress, relationships and life situations that may not be serving them. Even as little as half an hour of this improvisational mental, physical, emotional and spiritual dance seems to allow them to carry on with a better quality of life.

No matter what is going on in my life I love coming to work. I enjoy being able to offer a portal to this time-bending journey for my patients where they leave feeling better than they did when they walked in. My shifts seem to fly by every time.

To find out more about the pioneers that created community acupuncture and how to support their mission to make acupuncture accessible and affordable for as little as $25 per year click here: www.pocacoop.com

On average a busy acupuncturist will treat between 1,000-2,000 patients in a year. Last year Oakland Acupuncture Project's two Oakland locations treated nearly 26,000 patients. They have been around since 2008 and just last October they opened their third location in Sacramento. The Sacramento Bee's gleaming report of the new clinic has helped to already have them hustling. Being somewhat neighbors to Sacramento Acupuncture Project, I decided to gain some information on how things are going so well by asking Molly Fread some questions regarding their growth, patient response, and thoughts on how fellow Acu-Punks across the country are potentially spearheading a reform in the way Americans utilize healthcare.

Glossary Note: Punk = Community Acupuncturist (Simplicity and a redundant use of time tested systems are a key to the community acupuncturist's success... and acupuncture is rarely spelled correctly.)

1. How many Acupuncturists did you start out with and how many work there now?Oakland Acupuncture Project was founded in 2008 by two acupuncturists, Whitney Thorniley and Roselle McNeilly (now of El Dorado Community Acupuncture in Shingle Springs, CA). In 2016 there are now nine acupuncturists staffing our three locations (two clinics in Oakland and one in Sacramento). We have seven full time punks and two part time punks, as well as a small crew of subs and one part time administrative assistant based in Oakland. Two of those acupuncturists are the current owners (Whitney Thorniley and Jeff Levin).

2. Did the founders ever believe that their vision of an acupuncture practice would expand so immensely? Our 3 clinic locations gave a total of 26,678 treatments in 2015. It's probably safe to say that Whitney and Roselle never imagined their clinic would grow to serve that many patients and offer that many treatments eight years in. When they were just starting out, there was no such known Community Acupuncture clinic yet reaching those high treatment figures. Whitney and Roselle were intent on creating quality, living wage jobs for themselves as well as establishing a solid affordable community health resource in their community. In 2008 they were new business owners trying an alternative business model to the Western medicine norm of treating one patient at a time in a private room (and charging accordingly). However, every year since opening, starting with just a couple thousand treatments in year 1, our overall numbers have increased. In 2011 Whitney and Roselle were locally awarded the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in that year we added a third owner (Jeff Levin) and our second Oakland location on Grand Avenue. In 2015 we launched our first office in Sacramento.

3. Can you explain a few of the reasons why your community acupuncture practice has grown to treating such high volume?There is strength in numbers! Thanks to excellent management and HR, our staff has continually grown, which is how we can be open every day of the week and be accessible to so many patients. The fact that we have a sliding scale of $15-35 makes it possible for a wide range of our community to utilize our services, and over the years we've had great word-of-mouth around town and many referrals of family and friends. Our goal is to continue to hire capable, warm, compassionate, and energetic acupunks so that we can expand our hours and be even more accessible to the community.

4. With such a large patient base, you must be doing a lot of things right. What are a few of the most common conditions that your acupuncturists treat, and what are some of your secrets to success? We treat a lot of low back pain, neck pain, arthritis, stress, anxiety, and depression, among many other things. Our key to success is letting patients know that acupuncture can work best for them when they can receive regular treatments, so sticking to a treatment plan and using the clinic regularly, and even multiple times per week when discomfort and distress is severe is how they will get the most relief. Being affordable and being open 7 days a week makes it easier for patients to get in when they need to truly feel better. Acupuncture is a wonderful pain and stress management tool, and it's empowering to patients to hear that they can come in whenever they need to, and that they can utilize acupuncture as a tool to improve their quality of life.

5. There are now over 150 community acupuncture clinics across the United States practicing community acupuncture that are recognized to meet the standards set forth by POCA. This organization and the community acupuncture model has grown despite some serious adversity, most notably from colleagues in the same field that do not practice in the community style, and also acupuncture publications and organizations. There is now a sense of "power in numbers" as community clinics are in most major cities and even many small towns too. Are there any thoughts you may have on Community Acupuncture's role as a leader in the reform of health care in our country?When people can access healthcare, they do. Americans are chronically over-stressed, overworked, and underpaid. We POCA members strive to take down barriers to accessing care, and thrive on helping regular people in our lives and our communities to feel better using the simple, inexpensive, and effective tool of acupuncture. I'm very glad that the Redding area now has a local clinic to access and enjoy! Because as we say... the more people get acupuncture, the more people GET acupuncture. Try it real soon- you'll be glad you did.

Acupuncture, Climbing and Sports Performance...Acupuncture is a form of therapy rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Oriental Medicine. Though its origin dates back thousands of years, only recently has it come to be regarded as a viable form of sports therapy in the West. As an acupuncturist and avid rock climber I am quite familiar with the pitfalls our body can experience from climbing. Most of the injuries come from overtraining and are located in our arms, shoulders and fingers, although (cheesy pun alert) belaying can prove to be a real pain in the neck too.

Acupuncture is now commonly used by many professional athletes such as Kobe Bryant, Aaron Rodgers, and even by the recent winner of the Tour de France Vincenzo Nibali who received acupuncture twice daily on the arduous 3 week long race. Here are a few reasons why acupuncture has become a staple in the self care regimen of professional athletes and why it may be able to help you heal faster, stay healthy and crush your toughest projects.

FlowAcupuncture is an excellent way to stimulate blood flow in the body. By placing the hair-thin needles through the skin and into the fascia and muscles, a micro-wound is created. It rarely hurts and will end up initiating an immune response in the form of increased blood flow to the location, bringing vital nutrients that will speed recovery and help rid the body of unwanted inflammation.

Another form of flow that is enhanced by acupuncture is by accessing the body's Qi (pronounced CHEE). The Chinese concept of Qi in other cultures has been called Prana, Ki or Vital Energy. Today quantum physicists are saying that electromagnetic energy is the interconnecting substance that holds everything together. This Qi, or electromagnetic energy flows through specific pathways in the body and can be cultivated and perceived not only through acupuncture, but from practices such as tai chi, qi gong, meditation, yoga and martial arts. Just as a tough climbing route has a certain flow you must master before completing it, acupuncturists look to smooth the flow of the energy distribution in our bodies by unblocking areas of stagnation. The Chinese have a saying that "flowing water does not decay." To boil it down: smooth and abundant Qi flow = efficiency = optimal health and performance.

Pain ReliefAcupuncture has been proven to relieve pain. In a recent study on 18,000 patients in the UK acupuncture had a 50% improvement on chronic pain. It has also been found to stimulate the body's release of endorphins into the blood stream as well as other natural pain killers such as adenosine. At least once a week, I have someone tell me that they feel like they are floating in their chair or that they want to break out in the giggles which we fondly refer to here as an 'acupuncture high'.

Maintenance/PreventionWorld class climber Sam Elias said "I do acupuncture, I don't know how it works but it does." Acupuncture is a subtle practice that has virtually no side effects except for increased energy and relaxation. When you receive acupuncture your body will relax and access the benefits of the parasympathetic nervous system which will send blood to your organs for nourishment, lower your heart rate and blood pressure and allow your digestive tract to function more efficiently. This is a great way to counteract the damage to our bodies from daily stress which initiates a sympathetic nervous system or 'fight or flight' response.

By accessing an 'acupuncture high' more often your mind and body will be more relaxed which will allow you to think more clearly and perform your best. Melissa Arnot holds the record of non-Sherpa women with 4 summits of Everest and she uses acupuncture and massage once a week for 6 weeks prior to any big climbing trip because she says "it prevents sprains, strains, and tendinitis."

JP & Jean O'Hara, Shasta Community Acupuncture

Where to get affordable acupunctureIf you've always wanted to try acupuncture but don't want to spend $100+ to do so, look into community acupuncture. At Shasta Community Acupuncture we offer treatments on a sliding scale of $15 - $40 where you choose what to pay. We are located in Redding, California. To find a Community Acupuncture clinic in your area click here. We make it affordable so we can spread the benefits of this time tested medical practice to everyone and so that you can afford to come as much as you need.

For information on the People's Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA): They started the community Acupuncture movement in 2002 in Portland, OR and now there are over 150 clinics across the country offering affordable, effective acupuncture:www.pocacoop.com

Shasta Community Acupuncture is open for business and putting the "We" in Welcome! We moved to Redding, CA to open up our practice because the area was in need of affordable acupuncture. Before we opened up in November of 2015 the closest community acupuncture clinic was an hour and a half away in Chico.

What is Community Acupuncture (C.A.) you may ask? It began in Portland, Oregon circa 2002 with the idea to make the benefits of acupuncture available to the masses. As you may know the average price per treatment for a Boutique Acupuncture (B.A.) treatment in the United States ranges from $60 - $100. C.A. clinics offer pricing from $15 - $40 on a sliding scale where we let the patient decide how much to pay.

How can we make a living by charging so little? By treating patients in an open room on comfortable recliners we are able to treat more people at a time which allows us to keep the cost low, enabling you to come as often as you need to achieve your treatment goals.

Just to be clear, we don't have anything against the B.A. practitioners that charge higher rates. We used to practice that way. It just didn't fit for us because we didn't like turning people away that couldn't afford our rates. We know that you will get more attention and certain modalities such as cupping, massage, diet and lifestyle advice when you are treated in a B.A. setting because you will be treated in a private room with more time allotted for your intake. That’s great for those patients who can afford the B.A. rates or those whose health insurance covers acupuncture.

In a C.A. setting, we strictly use acupuncture as our modality. We have realized that whether we spend 3 minutes or 30 minutes talking with you, the acupuncture needles are the most important thing, so why not just get right to it! We believe in the simplicity of this form of healthcare and have seen it work time and time again. Acupuncture has been healing people for thousands of years and now C.A. clinics across the country are committed to making this a common resource for everyone.

We opened up Shasta Community Acupuncture three months ago and in that short time have gone from treating 13 patients per week to nearly 40 per week. There are over 150 community acupuncture clinics in the United States that adhere to the guidelines set by the brave and benevolent folks that started this movement. Some of those clinics treat 500 people per week. We would love to be that busy, but for now we do see a lot of gratitude from our current patient base and we are humbled to be growing so fast.

C.A. has definitely blossomed over the last decade and is now available in most big cities. Its popularity and ability to affordably treat pain, discomfort and many broad types of suffering is right on time. Over 130 million Americans take medications every day and we are more medicated than any other country in the world. Acupuncture has no negative side effects and is great for treating chronic problems, such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. It has been speculated that acupuncture works by interfacing between the body’s nervous system and the circulatory system, and it certainly seems to improve blood circulation in general. As a result, it can sometimes help patients with chronic disorders have a better quality of life and reduce their need for multiple medications.

Even if you don’t have any chronic problems, acupuncture is a great way to relieve stress which systemically boosts immunity and regulates our mental and emotional state. Many of our patients leave with the giggles, saying they feel an ‘acupuncture high’ and we love that. We definitely cannot do this without you, and if you’ve never tried acupuncture before, we encourage you to come experience an acupuncture nap alongside a community of others doing the same. In fact, bring a friend or loved one with you. When the room is full, there is definitely a palpable healing energy that transcends our individual limitations. We need high-volume to sustain and appreciate your word of mouth referrals as this is the only advertising we can afford right now. It is our dream to have Shasta Community Acupuncture become a presence in Redding for the long-haul, growing into a large scale clinic, open every day and providing jobs for the local community.

If you’d like to read more about Community Acupuncture or find a quality clinic near your home, you can visit the website for the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture at www.pocacoop.com. They are the daring folks that started this movement. You can buy Fractal: About Community Acupuncture or Acupuncture is Like Noodles on their website which gives a detailed history of the C.A. movement and its DIY role in reforming our broken healthcare system You can also visit our website www.shastacommunity.com for our hours or to book an appointment online.